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An Optimate solar charger is the best way to keep your car, vehicle or leisure battery charged when not in use so that it's ready for duty when you need it.

Keeping your battery charged with an Optimate solar charger has the following advantages:

• Never be dissapointed by a flat battery again!
• Keeping your battery fully charged will extend battery life and save you the cost of premature replacement
• Optimate solar chargers have a charge controller included
• The charge controller will prevent battery overcharging, prevent battery discharge at night and increase charging efficiency
• The Optimate charge controller also gives...

As you have probably discovered, 12V DC lighting options can be rather limited and prices tend to be a little higher than 230V AC ("mains powered") lights. 

12V DC lighting is quite specialist and availability tends to be limited to a few specialist suppliers (such as ourselves). Because volumes of sales are low, production costs are higher and these are often reflected in the price (sorry!).

12V DC lighting forms an important part of our off-grid solar lighting businesss and over the years we have had to find and source many different types of 12V DC and 24V DC lighting. Here at Willgen we carry stock of a range of 12V DC bulbs and...

If you love your motorcycle but get to use it less often than you would like, the last thing you want to find when you do get a chance is that the battery is flat and it wont start!

No Mains Power? Use Solar!

Maybe your motorbike is stored in a garage, shed or passageway with no mains power or maybe it's just on the drive. Getting power to a normal mains powered battery charger / trickle charger in these circumstances can be difficult and messy with trailed cables and the problem of weatherproofing 230V electrical equipment.

So the obvious answer is to use solar power - but what size solar charger do you need and how do you...

Up until recently here at Willgen we were putting together and selling our own 12V solar battery chargers as we didn't feel anything else on the market was good enough for us to re-sell.

That has now changed as, having tried and tested the OptiMate range of solar chargers, I am very pleased to give them a wholehearted Willgen seal of approval!

The reasons I am so impressed with the OptiMate Solar Charger range are:

• Correctly sized solar panel (smallest being 10W) - smaller solar trickle chargers are often underpowered
• Excellent quality materials and build quality
• In-line solar charge controller (regulator) that is...

Customer question (received via email 16th May 2018):

I have a Smart ForTwo Smart Car I have had to replace my battery. The car is not used more than short trips around town. I want a dashboard solar trickle charger to maintain the battery. What do you recommend?

Peter

Willgen reply (from Bill 17th May 2018):

Hi Peter,

Many thanks for getting in touch.

For dashboard use the simplest method of connection of a solar charger to the battery is via the cigarette lighter socket. However, please be aware that in many modern cars the cigarette lighter socket is disconnected when the ignition is turned off and the key removed. If...

Customer question (received via email 22nd June 2016):

Hi, I am considering buying a solar trickle charger for my BMW M3 CSL as I keep the car outside and like the idea of having a charger that doesn't need to be connected to the mains.  The battery on the car is a lightweight one (12V 55Ah).  I would like to mount the solar panel in the car (not outside) and have it plugged into the cigarette lighter socket. 

Could you recommend the best charger for my needs?

Thanks
Graham

Willgen Reply (Email from Bill 22nd June 2016):

Customer Question (received via email 14th June 2016):

I am wanting to buy a solar panel to trickle charge my campervan battery plus a solar charge controller. My battery lable is as follows- 12v 74Ah 750A(EN). What combination would you recommend? I live in the north of Scotland.
Many thanks,
Kay 

Willgen Reply (Email from Bill 14th June 2016):

Hi Kay, many thanks for getting in touch.

To maintain your battery (assuming there are no continuous loads such as an alarm) I would recommend you use a 10W solar panel provided it can be positioned in an un-shaded, south facing position at an angle of 35 to 90 degrees from the...

Customer Question (received via email 1st March 2016):

Hello, I'm interested in buying one of your BP 10 watt 12 volt panels. Id like it to keep a 12 volt 74 ah battery charged that will be hooked up to some led pathway lighting. Can I wire the panel directly to the battery? Thanks

Willgen Reply (Email from Bill 1st March 2016):

Hi, many thanks for getting in touch.

Rather than wiring the panel direct to the battery, I would recommend installing a charge controller between the solar panel and battery to protect the battery from damage through overcharging. The charge controller will also prevent battery drain back to the panel...